School of Health and Human Services

From Dean Sandra Bulmer

The School of Health and Human Services is comprised of seven disciplines that all
share a mission of caring and compassion within a professional framework: communication
disorders, exercise science, marriage and family therapy, nursing, public health,
recreation, tourism, and sport management, and social work. These disciplines focus
on the preparation of competent and creative practitioners to meet the health and
human service needs of society. All programs require a strong liberal arts background
as a prerequisite to professional course work. In addition to theory-focused courses
in the major, students in each program participate in community-based clinical training,
field practice, and internships. Preparing for health and human services careers at
Southern is demanding, intellectually and personally. It requires dedication and involves
sophisticated research and intensive study.

Students learn together with the faculty how practice, research, and theory interact
as they respond to clients encountering issues such as alcohol and substance abuse,
mental illness, AIDS, family violence, child abuse, primary health care needs, elderly
recreation services, and the relationship between poverty and nutrition. Five of the
departments offer undergraduate degrees which lay the foundation for beginning professional
practice in their respective disciplines in addition to providing students with a
solid background for pursuing graduate study in their particular field. All disciplines
award highly regarded master's degrees. Because there are various trajectories within
these professions, each discipline offers a lifetime of rewarding career opportunities.

The School of Health and Human Services is the only school in Connecticut with these
disciplines under a single umbrella, which means academic opportunities are highly
interdisciplinary. Research demonstrates that clients are best served when the professionals
collaborate. For example, a client of a daycare center gets better care when her social
worker knows how to consult with a nurse or a speech-language pathologist. Working on the same principle, Southern's clinics and classroom projects encourage
students to collaborate with and learn from students in other disciplines.

The school's wide range of internships means that students can begin to participate
in the community while earning their degrees. Public health students can work in local community health centers, helping a variety of professionals
to assess patient health. Students in Recreation, Tourism, and Sport Managementwork in a variety of settings: they assist physically challenged patients in rehabilitation
facilities; they work with communities to develop extra curricular opportunities for
positive youth development; and, they participate in sports management activities.
Social work students intern in child welfare agencies, family and child guidance clinics, and
drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities. Nursing students complete clinical rotations in various acute care hospitals as well as in
community based agencies, such as schools and visiting nurse agencies. The marriage and family therapy program offers comprehensive training expected of prospective licensed marriage
and family therapists by offering students an array of clinical training experiences
in settings such as, community mental health agencies, youth service agencies, and
hospital outpatient clinics. The exercise science program offers bachelors and masters degrees with fully accredited and nationally recognized
program options for students wishing to focus on Athletic Training, Human Performance,
Physical Education and/or School Health Education.

By clicking the Academic Departments category on the sidebar to the left you can read more about some of the specialized
study opportunities available to motivated students at Southern. Feel free to contact
us with requests for further information.

HOW TO FIND US

The offices of the School of Health and Human Services are located in ENB110. Call (203)
392-8047 for directions, or find us on the campus map.

Give to The School

Support the students, programs, faculty, and community members that benefit from the
School of Health and Human Services. Join a group of donors who are helping to provide a rich educational experience for
our aspiring professionals.